In circuits such as bidirectional level translators, the output driver may use an accelerator output stage to speed up the output transition. Traditionally, the accelerator output stage drivers are controlled by a one-shot with a fixed pulse width. Fixing the duration of the accelerator drive limits the maximum switching frequency and/or the maximum capacitive load that can be driven. If the duration of the accelerator drive is set longer to allow driving heavier capacitive loads, then the maximum switching frequency will decrease and vice versa.
Previous bidirectional translator circuits have used a one-shot with fixed pulse width to control the duration of the accelerator drive. In doing so, one must accept either a lower switching speed, lower load driving capability, or reduced signal integrity. With fixed duration one-shots, there is a trade-off between load driving capability, max switching frequency, and dynamic ICC current. On the high end of the one-shot duration, the maximum switching frequency (without contention between the upper and lower drivers) is limited. On the low end of the one-shot duration, the maximum bus capacitance that can be driven rail-to-rail is limited. One can allow some contention (overlap of P channel high-side driver and N channel low-side driver one-shot pulses) but dynamic ICC current goes up.